Hawaii vs. Washington State Odds
| Hawaii Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-3.5 -105 | 127.5 -105o / -115u | -154 |
| Washington State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+3.5 -118 | 127.5 -105o / -115u | +128 |
Just seven games make up a light slate on Friday, and we'll have to wait until midnight before we see what — in my opinion — is the best matchup of the day.
Washington State will square off against the Diamond Head Classic host Warriors after both teams advanced to the semifinals.
The Cougars won just their fifth game of the season in the opening round, holding off George Washington, which fell just short of a late comeback push.
Hawaii, meanwhile, won its second game in a row (against Pepperdine) to move to 7-3 on the season. Can the Warriors put on another impressive performance against Washington State in their home MTE?
A win over the Cougars would be the highest-ranked win of the season for Hawaii. And as of right now, Washington State is the highest-ranked team on Hawaii's schedule for the rest of the season.
Hawaii Warriors
Hawaii hasn't been particularly impressive this season on offense. But that was expected after it lost Samuta Avea and Juan Munoz for the season before it even played a game.
The Warriors weren't expected to be 7-3 through their first 10 games following losing the two to injury.
Hawaii's defense is what's winning it games, holding teams to just 62.1 points per game. The Warriors slow the pace down — currently ranked 307th in Adjusted Tempo — while they've also defended the perimeter incredibly.
That 3-point defense could very easily be the biggest key to the game for this Warriors squad. Hawaii is 19th in the nation, holding teams to just 27.6% from 3-point range.
Washington State, meanwhile, hits 37.3% from beyond the arc and nearly 40% of its scoring comes via 3-pointers. If the Cougs can't hit from beyond the arc, things could get ugly quickly.
Washington State Cougars
No one was more important for the Cougars in their first-round Diamond Head Classic win than Mouhamed Gueye. However, he did leave the game with an injury, and while he returned to finish the outing, how healthy he truly is for this one is definitely something I have concerns about.
One major area the Cougars can limit Hawaii will be on the offensive glass. The Warriors have been great recently, posting an offensive rebound percentage of 33.8% over their last five games.
Hawaii also averages 12.2 second-chance points per game on the season.
However, the Cougars have limited opponents to an offensive rebounding percentage of just 23.4% on the season and are giving up just 7.3 second-chance points per contest.
Also, they hold a significant advantage in height over Hawaii. But yet again, Gueye's health will be a major factor here, as he's the leading rebounder for the Cougars.
Hawaii vs. Washington State Betting Pick
I don't expect Gueye to miss the game, but having even somewhat of a lingering effect from his injury could be all the Warriors need in this one.
The Hawaii defense should be able to do enough to cause issues for Washington State on Friday night. And I'm not one to underestimate the power of Hawaii on the Island.
Back the Rainbow Warriors at +3 or better. I'll also be placing a small wager on Hawaii to get its most impressive win of the season so far and make the championship game in its hosted MTE.
